That accent? It’s not a problem, it’s a clue.
That accent?
It is not a problem.
It is a clue. It tells you where someone is from.
Mine gives me away in about four words, usually before I’ve finished introducing myself. (Someone once asked if I was from the Netherlands. No, I’m not!)
Here’s what I tell clients who apologise for theirs before they’ve said a single full sentence: nobody’s taking notes on your vowels. They’re listening for your point.
An accent doesn’t blur your English. It just tells the room one small true thing about you before you’ve said anything else.
Quick win: Next time you catch yourself apologising for your accent, don’t. Let it be the interesting part, not the excuse.
It is often the thing that makes you memorable.
Whilst residing in the UK and working in London (not without a reason called the New York of Europe with its over 300 nationalities) I always told people, who apologised for their accent, not to work on losing the accent.
Just the opposite, I encouraged them to keep it because it makes them genuine and interesting.
I lost my German accent though in the 13 year I lived in the UK and being back in Germany one might hear again my German accent when I speak English. 🤣
Absolutely! An accent is not a problem to be fixed, Kurt. It’s part of our voice and often part of what makes us memorable.
And I love that your German accent apparently went into hibernation in the UK and decided to make a comeback once you returned. 😂
That’s a lovely reminder that our languages and accents can shift with the environments we live in.
Thank you so much for your thoughts.